The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), a police watchdog in New South Wales, has formally announced it will launch a comprehensive investigation into how police managed a protest at Sydney's Town Hall. This decision follows a substantial influx of complaints regarding the police operation during the demonstration against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Sydney on Tuesday.
Public Interest Investigation Announced
In an official statement released on Friday, the LECC declared that it is in the public interest to investigate the police operation. The commission specifically highlighted incidents of alleged misconduct by NSW police officers against individuals attending the protest location. The LECC will employ its full investigatory powers to scrutinise the lawfulness and appropriateness of the conduct exhibited by the NSW Police Force and its individual officers.
Review of Evidence and Public Report
The investigation will involve a thorough review of multiple forms of evidence, including video and phone footage, official documents, police records, and conduct hearings related to the response. Upon concluding the investigation, the Commission has committed to furnishing a detailed public report to the NSW Parliament, ensuring transparency and accountability in its findings.
Allegations of Police Misconduct
Footage from the protest has circulated widely on social media, showing officers striking demonstrators in the ribs and kidneys during arrests. Additional videos depict police breaking up a group of Muslim men while they were performing a call to prayer. One particularly disturbing video shows a young man being held down by two officers, with one striking him twice in the face and the other hitting him repeatedly in the face and back.
The young man was later seen being carried away by officers with a yellow liquid on his chest, believed to be capsicum spray. The police response has drawn condemnation from politicians and observers globally as these images of alleged misconduct spread online.
Political Condemnation and Eyewitness Accounts
NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson described the police response as a "monumental failure" and something she "never, ever thought I would see with my own eyes." Higginson, along with other Greens MPs Jenny Leong and Abigail Boyd, attended the rally, which attracted approximately 20,000 participants.
Higginson accused police of creating a "pressure cooker" situation by compacting the crowd without clear direction, leading to her and Leong being capsicum sprayed. She asserted that MP Boyd was allegedly assaulted by an officer during the incident. Higginson emphasised that people need to recognise the police operation as a complete failure, criticising it as an "outrageous doubling down of police pitted against peaceful members of our community."
Boyd reported being punched in the head and arm by an officer while she was following orders to leave the scene. She expressed disbelief at the proportionality of the response, stating, "I don't understand how that is a proportionate response. I've never seen anything like it. I don't trust the police to look after anybody."
Broader Implications and Community Impact
The announcement of the LECC investigation underscores growing concerns over police conduct during public demonstrations. The protest, centred on Israeli President Herzog's visit, has now become a focal point for debates on law enforcement accountability and the right to peaceful assembly in Australia.
As the investigation proceeds, it will likely examine not only the specific incidents but also the overall strategy and command decisions made during the protest. The outcome of this probe could have significant implications for police protocols and community relations in New South Wales.
